Poland will deploy approximately 40,000 troops to areas near its borders, Deputy Defence Minister Cezary Tomczyk announced, citing the upcoming Russian-Belarusian Zapad-2025 exercises, which begin on Friday close to Poland and run until 16 September. “In the coming days there will be about 40,000 soldiers near Poland’s borders,” Tomczyk told Polsat News.

According to the authorities, the heightened readiness will include strengthening air-defence and counter-drone systems, increasing patrols, and supporting border services along the eastern frontier and in the Suwałki Gap area. The decision follows a series of violations of Polish airspace by Russian drones and comes on the eve of the active phase of Zapad-2025. In parallel, airspace restrictions are in force in the country’s east, and the government has announced the temporary closure of some crossings with Belarus for the duration of the drills.

Zapad-2025—the first edition of these exercises since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine—will officially take place from 12 to 16 September, mainly on Belarusian territory and in Russian regions on the Baltic. Minsk speaks of roughly 13,000 participants, but NATO governments and independent centres estimate up to 30,000, noting that dispersed episodes can exceed declared figures. The scenario reportedly includes elements related to the use of nuclear weapons and advanced missile systems, prompting heightened vigilance among neighbours.

Lithuania’s defence ministry and experts warn that Zapad traditionally tests the readiness of Russia’s Western Military District and the Baltic Fleet, and that its location—close to the borders of Poland and the Baltic states, including the Suwałki Gap—increases the risk of incidents and provocations. In response, Vilnius has raised border surveillance and launched its own drills, while allied activities are also under way across the region.

Tomczyk stresses that Zapad has “an offensive character,” which is why Polish forces—working with allied troops—have spent months preparing response options and are now moving to reinforce the protection of border regions. The authorities say the aim is deterrence and the rapid neutralisation of potential threats in the air and on the ground.